In the Lorain City Schools, the start of each school year presents an important opportunity to improve an increasingly urgent issue: too many children missing too many days of school. More than 1/4 of our students are chronically absent — missing nearly a month or more of school every year.
Why is this an issue?
Children who are chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade are much less likely to read proficiently by the end of third grade and are more likely to have poor attendance in later grades.
By middle and high school, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign that a student will not graduate on time.
This is especially true for those students living in poverty who need school the most and are sometimes attending the least.
The good news?
Chronic absence is a problem we can solve when our schools, families and community partners work together.
In the Lorain City Schools, we believe that improving attendance and reducing chronic absence takes commitment and collaboration by schools, families, businesses, and the community itself. Everyone has an important role to play. Click here to learn how...
